English
Scientific name: Engraulis encrasicolus
Sometimes confused with sardine, the anchovy belongs to another taxonomic family but often they find themselves sharing the same environment forming large schools. It is a pelagic fish and is found far away from the coast. It tolerates brackish waters and sometimes moves into river mouths and lagoons.
Characteristics
Anchovies have a tapered body, blue-green colour on the back, and silver on the sides and the abdomen. It has large eyes compared to its size and a very large mouth which exceeds the rear edge of the eyes. Generally they measure from 6 to 10 centimeters and reach a maximum of 20 centimeters. The scales are small and come off easily. It is a gregarious species in every vital phase that forms very numerous shoals often mixed with other species, like sardines, always fish of similar size.
Habitat
Anchovy is a common species in the Mediterranean Sea. They do not migrate but move to different depths depending on the season. In autumn and winter they live deep while during spring and summer they rise towards the surface near the coasts, where they spawn. Their main food is zooplankton which grows particularly well in areas of salt water such as lagoons and estuaries in which anchovies, which can withstand the change in salinity, often penetrate to feed themselves. Like sardines, they are the object of intense fishing that has caused a decrease in marketable quantities in recent years. The minimum size for fishing and marketing according to Reg. EC 1967/2006 is 9 cm.
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